First climate change policy poll shows public agrees with
emissions trading and will pay the bill

The first polling on the Government's latest climate change policies
show more agree than disagree with its move to introduce emissions
trading.

More also agree than disagree that the coming carbon price, to be imposed
on their own emissions through fuel and power bills, will encourage them
to reduce their own emissions.

Slightly more are confident that the policies will help the country
manage climate change and protect its trading position than are not
confident.

The policy package has lifted the public's rating of the Government's
performance in climate change from 50% giving it a 3 plus rating out of
5 in July, to 57%.

The research was conducted by ShapeNZ for the New Zealand Business
Council for Sustainable Development. The online polling, covering a
representative population sample of 846 people between September 29 and
October 1 has a maximum margin of error of 3.5%.

Some 49% of people agree with the policy to make businesses which make
greenhouse gas emissions buy carbon credits and allow those which reduce
emissions to sell carbon credits. This is up from 44% agreement when the
question was last posed in July this year. Opposition to emissions
trading has fallen from 22% in July to 14% now.

Some 46% believe emissions charges encourage businesses to reduce
emissions (34% disagree, 20% don't know).

When asked if resulting higher fuel and power prices will encourage them
to cut their own emissions, 46% say yes, 29% no and 17% don't know.

When asked if the personal impact of a greenhouse gas emissions charge,
equivalent to a rise of 4 cents a litre of petrol, is reasonable or
unreasonable, 44% say it is reasonable, 40% say it is not and 11% don't
know.

The Government has an educational job to do on emissions trading,
however: 57% feel they are not well informed on it (and 4% say they
don't wish to know more, 11% do). Some 47% feel very well informed or
informed enough.

Business Council Chief Executive Peter Neilson says that while the
emissions trading package is mainly focused on business, it looks like
there's growing public support for the policy direction.

"That's very welcome given the wide party and business support for the
policy when it was first announced," Mr Neilson says.

Full results of the climate change policy questions results are available
at www.nzbcsd.org.nz.

The survey is open to the public until October 31 at www.shapenz.org.nz

Ends

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